If only NHL expansion had come sooner, the likes of Bob Perreault would have surely enjoyed a long and fruitful National Hockey League career. Similar to Marcel Paille, Perreault was an outstanding goaltender that excelled in the American Hockey League but never got his big break in the six team NHL. Initially, with the Montreal Canadiens organization, he stood third in line behind the great Jacques Plante. After being moved to Detroit, it was Sawchuk and Roger Crozier that blocked Perreault from the NHL.
Just one mainstream hockey card exists of Bob Perreault. With the Boston Bruins, the Bob Perreault rookie card appears in the 1962-63 Topps series as hockey card number 2. Although valued at $15, the going rate for a common goaltender, Beckett Hockey Monthly does acknowledge the Perreault hockey card as a rated card. The 1962-63 Topps series featured 66 cards and the complete set is valued at $1300. The Vic Hadfield rookie card is the top valued RC in the series, valued at $50 by Beckett.
Bob played in a total of 31 National Hockey League games, mostly on an injury replacement basis, between 1955-56 and 1962-63. He played six games with the Montreal Canadiens in 1955-56 and three with the Detroit Red Wings in 1958-59. 1962-63 was the highlight of NHL playing career, appearing in 22 games for the Boston Bruins. Into his 40’s, Perreault played one more major league game in 1972-73, appearing with the Los Angeles Sharks of the World Hockey Association.
Although currently not a member of the recently formed American Hockey League Hall of Fame, one would have to think Perreault is on their radar to be posthumously inducted. Bob still sits sixth on the AHL’s all-time wins column and third all-time in shutouts. Perreault played in 503 AHL games with the Provindence Reds, Hershey Bears and Rochester Americans.
Twice, he won the Harry ‘Hap’ Holmes Memorial Award as the AHL goalie with the fewest goals against. In 1958-59, he won the award as a member of the Hershey Bears and in 1967-68, he won with the Rochester Americans. In 1969-70, he won the IHL’s version of the Holmes Award, the James Norris Memorial Trophy, with the Des Moines Oak Leafs.
No stranger to the Calder Cup finals, Perreault went to the AHL playoff final showdown on eight occasions. He won the Calder Cup in 1957-58 and 1958-59 with the Hershey Bears. With the Rochester Americans, he won the Calder in 1965-66 and 1967-68. Sandwiched between those two victories was a finals loss to the Pittsburgh Hornets. He would also play in the finals for the Americans in 1956-57 and the Bears in 1960-61. Although not a major player, appearing in just one playoff game, in 1951-52 he was a member of the Providence Reds team that lost in the Calder Cup finals.
And, yes… Bob Perreault is the cousin of Hockey Hall of Famer and Buffalo Sabres legend, Gilbert Perreault.
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